‘Finders Keepers’ Exhibition

EDE Projects

Presented by EDE Projects in collaboration with Blanco Gallery, Finders Keepers brings together artists Eloise Dethier-Eaton and Charly Helyar in an exhibition exploring how acts of care, repair and preservation can transform the overlooked into something precious. Curated by Adela Blanco. In Finders Keepers, both exhibiting artists make treasured objects from found material. Although working in distinct ways, both artists begin with materials that have already lived another life. Through painting, sculpture and assemblage, discarded objects become carefully tended repositories of memory, inviting us to reconsider not only what we throw away, but also what we choose to preserve. Eloise Dethier-Eaton finds boards which have been left in skips or at the kerbside, deemed worthless and discarded, and then uses illusionistic trompe l'oeil painting techniques to disguise them as different materials. In doing so, she gives them a second lease of life and challenges the preconceived notions of value and hierarchy that we assign to materials. Charly Helyar makes small jewel-like paintings – paintings small enough to fit into the palm of your hand – nestled inside found and repurposed furniture scraps. These depict tender domestic moments with devotion. Through simple acts of preservation, everyday moments become cherished memories, in the same way that found objects can become treasure through the eyes of their beholder. These artworks acquire a particular resonance as they are exhibited in Rye, a town where foragers, magpies, antique dealers and treasure hunters abound. EDE Projects is a hybrid art studio, gallery and project space in Rye, East Sussex. It was founded by artist and curator Eloise Dethier-Eaton to exhibit her own work, run creative workshops and curate exhibitions with artists from Rye and beyond whose work she admires. Blanco Gallery is an international platform dedicated to supporting emerging contemporary artists and curatorial projects. The platform was founded by Adela Blanco, a Venezuelan Spanish independent curator whose curatorial approach is shaped by her multicultural heritage and by a commitment to creating encounters that foster dialogue, challenge boundaries, celebrate diversity and highlight the innovative practices shaping today’s cultural landscape.